No overnight children’s camps allowed this summer across NYS

ALBANY, N.Y. (NEWS10) – New York State Health Commissioner Dr. Howard Zucker made the decision Friday evening to prohibit overnight children’s camps from operating across the state. He said he used the most up to date scientific data to make the decision.

“Unlike day camps, which are approved to open June 29, overnight camps are a difficult setting to manage social distancing and face covering and infection control practices.  Overnight camps have congregate settings and sleeping arrangements in close quarters that present too many risks. In such a setting, even a single positive case in a camper or staff member could create an untenable quarantine situation and overwhelm camp health personnel that may not be able to handle a serious infectious outbreak of this nature,” said Dr. Zucker.

He also said that while he has fond memories from sleep-away camps and they are critical in a child’s development, he needs to do everything he can to keep the public safe.